It’s not a crime for an MP to seek the protection of state resources and assets – Okudzeto Ablakwa asserts

Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has openly expressed his unwavering stance against attempts by some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to hinder his efforts in retrieving and protecting state assets.

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, known for his active role in exposing corrupt practices under Parliament’s State Oversight Authority (SOA) scheme, was recently appointed by the NDC to lead the Operation Retrieve All Loot (ORAL) initiative.

In a post on his X page, Ablakwa emphasized that all attempts by the NPP to undermine his operations have failed. He referenced their eight-year tenure and the recently held vetting by the appointments committee as opportune periods to have done so. “They had every opportunity when I appeared before them for vetting but they chose to run away. They had every opportunity when they were in power for 8 years to have me prosecuted but they failed because there was nothing they could find. Now they have resorted to desperate smear press conferences and infantile fabrications.”

Ablakwa further defended his role as the leader of ORAL, noting its legitimacy as part of Ghana’s governance “It is not a crime for a Member of Parliament to patriotically and diligently seek the protection of public resources and state assets pursuant to our constitutional mandate of oversight.”

The Minister-designate, whose appointment is yet to be approved, reaffirmed his dedication to supporting President John Mahama’s leadership in revitalizing all sectors of the nation, including the foreign ministry, for the benefit of all Ghanaians.

They had every opportunity when I appeared before them for vetting but they chose to ran away.

They had every opportunity when they were in power for 8 years to have me prosecuted but they failed because there was nothing they could find.

Now they have resorted to desperate… pic.twitter.com/FnZI4w4PQs

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) February 3, 2025